Best Native American BB player ever in MT?

[Sportin' Life]

Takes Enemy was probably the best....
But Mandy Morales is my favorite.

[fatcatsat]

my vote is for old bull as well, if he did not score a point (which i dont think ever happened) he could still dominate a game. assists, steals, Jedi mind &%$#@! his opponents, etc. I will throw Kenny big back out there as well,

[wasacatfan]

I never had the chance to see alot of these players play, but I feel Willie Weeks should also be mentioned as one of the better native american players to play the game I am not saying he was the best just saying he should was good.

[76 cats]

Wes Brown Brockton

[76 cats]

Wes Brown - Brockton

[GRIZFNZ]

In order
1. Pretty Weasel
2. Takes Enemy
3. Oldbull
4 . Weeks
5. Chavez

[seataccat]

St. Ignatius,

Now leave me alone!

your welcome!

I could have sworn I saw Camel play in the Hamilton gym in the 70's. I thought for sure it was Ronan because I don't remember Mission being class A.

[kcatz]

I could have sworn I saw Camel play in the Hamilton gym in the 70's. I thought for sure it was Ronan because I don't remember Mission being class A.

Seataccat you may have seen a cousin or older brother but JR Camel played high school basketball from 90-94. He spent his first 2 1/2 years at Mission and then transferred to Hellgate at the end of his basketball his junior year of high school..

When his old man passed away the obituary listed somewhere between 12-20 children (don't know if they were his natural children or neices and nephews he raised over the years). JR was the youngest of his children and is Marvin Camel's nephew.

[seataccat]

I could have sworn I saw Camel play in the Hamilton gym in the 70's. I thought for sure it was Ronan because I don't remember Mission being class A.

Seataccat you may have seen a cousin or older brother but JR Camel played high school basketball from 90-94. He spent his first 2 1/2 years at Mission and then transferred to Hellgate at the end of his basketball his junior year of high school..

When his old man passed away the obituary listed somewhere between 12-20 children (don't know if they were his natural children or neices and nephews he raised over the years). JR was the youngest of his children and is Marvin Camel's nephew.

I am sure you are correct. I wish I knew which sibling it was, he completely dominated the game and was the best native american basketball player I ever saw.

[GRIZFNZ]

I could have sworn I saw Camel play in the Hamilton gym in the 70's. I thought for sure it was Ronan because I don't remember Mission being class A.

Seataccat you may have seen a cousin or older brother but JR Camel played high school basketball from 90-94. He spent his first 2 1/2 years at Mission and then transferred to Hellgate at the end of his basketball his junior year of high school..

When his old man passed away the obituary listed somewhere between 12-20 children (don't know if they were his natural children or neices and nephews he raised over the years). JR was the youngest of his children and is Marvin Camel's nephew.

I am sure you are correct. I wish I knew which sibling it was, he completely dominated the game and was the best native american basketball player I ever saw.

)
JR's older brother Zach (6"5" ish) played at Ronan in the early 80's with a kid named Andy Holamund who I believe was recruited to play football for the Cats.

[spocats22]

You may have watched Bobby Camel play in the Hamilton Gym in the 70's. Bobby was an incredible all-round athlete for Ronan. Kenny and Marvin both played some basketball but I think you probably watched Bobby. He could play!
For what it's worth I like the top 5 from GRIZFNZ. I only watched a couple on the list play but from what I have heard that list is tough to beat.

[ndnrnnr541]

The best Native American Basketball player in the Sate of MT....by Native American, I mean, Being American Indian. I know that doesn't sound fair to the White Folks out there but, I don't remember the White man being here first.....lol....not being racist or anything like that, but there are a lot of players that are not mentioned like Mark luke Spotted Bear, Barnery Smart Enemy, Juno and Rodney Plenty Hawk, Jo Jo Pretty Paint, Jarvis YellowRobe, Robert Bement, Milton EagleFeathers, Eugene Limpy, Tom Yarlott, Starr Not Afraid, Gary Cross Guns, George Yellow Eyes, Kenny Big Back, Dan Wetzelunique the list goes on and on. I can honestly say, that each of these individuals that are not mentioned could have and easily played with the best of them. I guess you could say that I don't take anything away from the likes of Takes Enemy, Old Bull, Chavez, Camel, Conway etc. etc. etc. I have seen and played against these individuals in tournaments and in high school. I can honestly say that they all had something unique to bring to the game. My choice, hands down the best "Native" American B-Ball player in the State of MT is Jonathan Takes Enemy. Why? do you ask good question! I can say that all of these players have faced prejudice and adversities in games that they have played in, but i have to go with Takes Enemy. Jonathan, cooming off a fourth place finish at state and still receiving MVP honors and the Hertz award which was presented by O.J. Simpson(now in prison.) in New York City. Setting a scoring record of 128 points in a state competition (Remember, that's without the 3-point line). Now that, Is an accomplishment all in its self. As for the rest of them, they were good, but not as good. Old Bull could've Played D-1 B-ball in any confrence. It's all good that he brought LG 3 State titles, but when you have people on your team that are just as good if not better than he was you can do such things as bring home 3 in a row. In other words, I think LG could've won those without him. Chavez, the same story applies to him as well. He was good. Pretty Weasel was a great ball player as well, giving Takes Enemy (Pretty Weasel's nephew) someone to look up too. As for J.R. Camel, I can't say that he was as good as any of these other players, because he wouldn't share the same spotlight as these here players if he had not went to Hellgate H.S (which was already in the hunt for a state title) and with the help of wheeler and other teammates won the AA state title. So I don't think that i could put him there with the rest of them. Simply because the division and area was not at all tough like the ones in south eastern MT. Hitchhikers shouldn't receive the same honors as those who have worked for it. But, like I said everyone of these guys brought something unique to the game. I think both Kral and Shan Ferch and even their dad Tom Ferch would agree that Takes Enemy is and always will be the best there is. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I'm an old tournament bum from way back in the day and it makes me feel good to hear the names of the players you've given proper respect to. Most of the players you've mentioned I know through past tournaments here on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation or up north on the Yakama Nation either by playing against or watching from the stands after "three and out". Some only through reputation, which was always good. And although I am not from Big Sky, and have only played against a "few", I am in complete agreement with you...it'll always be Jonathon. (IMVHO)

[AlphaGriz1]

Best at what?

[seataccat]

You may have watched Bobby Camel play in the Hamilton Gym in the 70's. Bobby was an incredible all-round athlete for Ronan. Kenny and Marvin both played some basketball but I think you probably watched Bobby. He could play!
For what it's worth I like the top 5 from GRIZFNZ. I only watched a couple on the list play but from what I have heard that list is tough to beat.

Yea Bobby rings a bell. Incredible basketball player, definitely my vote for best native american BB player in Montana.

[c.falls cat]

I am not sure I ever personally watched a better HS player in western MT than JR Camel, very athletic kid, could score from anywhere and had some highlight reel type dunks that would kick start the team and the crowd like few you will see in these parts. I believe he has a son that plays for Polson now and he is coaching at the salish Kootnai college in Pablo.

[wbtfg]

Kayla Lambert...

[MPCamb]

In about 1966 I spent most of a summer on Rocky Boy Rez and played a number of times with/against a guy named "Spud".
He had a very complete game- shoot, pass, rebound, scoring, play-making.
It was clear to me that he would have been a standout in the D-III competition I was playing in college at the time and even better in the yardball and pickup I played for the next few decades.
MP

[Sportin' Life]

Here's a nice little bit about Takes Enemy (and a bit about life) written by Shann Ferch. Good stuff.

http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/sray ... ent-139990" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;